The Aftermath
by Anonymous1O1
Summary: Little snippets from Ash and Misty's married life. A "midquel" of sorts for Ashes of the Past; each chapter takes place after the last chapter but before the epilogue.
1. Chapter 1

**So I know I said that I was going to make no sequel for Ashes of the Past. That still stands. These snippets take place in between the last chapter and the epilogue, therefore making this collection a midquel of sorts. I already have a lot of these snippets written, so expect a new one every few days. I have no idea how many of these I'm going to end up writing. I'm just posting this collection to hold people off until I post my next project.**

 **Also, instead of doing a featured story for each snippet, I'm just going to do a featured story for this story. Review shoutouts will still be done as they always are. If you haven't checked out the poll on my profile, it would be awesome if you could do that.**

 **The featured story for this story is Upon Further Inspection by nyislandersgirl. "** **Misty is stressed. Ash is confused. And all because the Pokémon Inspection Agency has invited themselves to the Cerulean Gym." It's a brand new story from the author of everyone's favorite AAML fic, Family Matters. Check it out!**

 **Now, I know that snippets are supposed to be only a couple of hundred words. But, you all know me, and I'm not exactly that kind of person. So, as a result, these snippets will likely be 7-900 words apiece.**

 **This collection is meant to be read as a companion to Ashes of the Past. It can be read separately, but will spoil the ending of AotP. Ashes of the Past isn't that long of a read anyways, so you might as well just read that first.**

* * *

Ash adjusted his tie, nerves making sweat bead on his brow. "Do you think I look okay?"

Brock Pewter, his best man, gave him a look. "Stop worrying, Ash. You look fine."

"I just don't want to go out there and embarrass myself or Misty."

The taller, slightly-older man put a tanned hand on Ash's shoulder. "Ash. Listen to me. You. Look. Fine. Although if you keep messing around with that tie of yours, you won't be."

The other man gave Brock an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Brock-o. I'm glad you're here."

Someone poked their head in through the door. "How are we doing in here?"

"Just fine," Brock reported. "We should be ready in just a minute or two."

The woman smiled. "Good, because the ceremony's about to start." She shut the door, leaving the two alone again.

The men looked at each other. Ash gave his friend a nervous grin. "Here we go."

"You'll be fine. Just breathe deep, and remember that this is your and Misty's day, not anybody else's."

* * *

"For God's sake, Violet, lay off!"

The blue-haired girl held her hands up, an annoyed look on her face. "Misty, you've got to let us help you. You can't get married looking like _that_."

Lily nodded in agreement. "Yeah, like, you don't wanna like, scare him when you come out."

"Ash will think I'm beautiful no matter how I look when I come out," Misty insisted. "It's you guys who are doing all the caring, and-"

"-and thank God we are!" Violet finished. She went back to dabbing Misty's face with a makeup-laden cosmetic sponge. "You've got to hide all those imperfections, or else you might break the camera!"

"Gee, thanks," she muttered. Raising her arm, she pushed Violet away. "But really. I'm fine. The wedding's going to start soon anyways."

Violet pursed her lips, exchanging a silent glance with Lily that set Misty's blood on fire. Oh, if only Daisy was there to tell them to lay off!

Almost on cue, the door to the room opened. Misty's face lit up when she saw her father standing there, donning a handsome blue suit.

He gestured toward his other two daughters. "Lily, Violet." He raised his eyebrows pointedly, silently informing them that it was time to take their leave.

"But Dad," Violet protested, "we can't let her go out there looking like she's coming out of Night of the Living Dead!"

"Girls, leave it," he replied, his face reflecting his irritation with two of his oldest daughters' beauty picking. "I mean it."

Groaning, the two girls took their leave- but not before slamming another dose of blush on Misty's already tomato-red cheeks.

Once they were gone, Daniel Waterflower approached his youngest child. Smiling slightly, he pulled out a few make-up removing wipes from a nearby package and used them to cleanse Misty's face of the excessive amounts of make-up. Once he was done, she turned toward the mirror to look at herself.

"Much better," she sighed, smiling for the first time since Violet and Lily had showed up. Shifting so that she was facing her father again, she asked, "How do I really look? Be honest."

He looped his arm through hers, ready to lead her out of the room and down the aisle. "Beautiful. You look beautiful."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi again!**

 **Response to review:**

 **Tikaya - I appreciate your effort, but as it says right on my profile I'm not interested in this type of constructive criticism. I'm doing this for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of readers; if I actually was trying to make this into more than a hobby, then I would ask for constructive criticism or I would get a beta.** **If there are a few flaws, then I'm fine with it as long as the readers are enjoying it. I hope I don't come across as arrogant, but I am in this for the fun, not for the nitpicking that comes with professional writing.**

* * *

It was late, the guests were gone, and Ash and Misty were finally getting some time to themselves.

Ash had, in a surprising act of gentlemanliness, carried Misty all the way from the car to the hotel room they were staying in for the weekend. Upon reaching the suite, he threw her down onto the satin sheets and crawled over her, letting his eyes explore her features at a more intimate angle.

She giggled a little, blushing under Ash's wandering gaze. He was not a romantic person, nor was he much of a "close relationship" kind of guy. They didn't even consummate their relationship until a week before the wedding. So to be beneath him at that moment, closer to him than she'd been since that night a week prior, was thrilling.

He leaned down and kissed her. It was a deep, emotional kiss; the kind she seldom got from a man who hated to be touched. She melted into it, running her hands through his hair. She had learned during their first intimate encounter that it was best to just let Ash take control. If she went too far too quickly or touched him in a way that he didn't like, it killed the mood rather quickly.

And tonight was not a night for mood-killers.

They undressed each other quickly, silently eager for the act that was to come. Misty was careful to avoid the scars on his back from some long-ago horror, knowing that he preferred to act as if they didn't exist. He busied himself with her neck as she wrapped her legs around his waist, burying her face in his shoulder.

She liked seeing this more vulnerable side of him. She liked seeing him plain and natural before her, no clothes or emotional walls keeping her out. It was only during these moments that she got glimpses into the deepest, most fragile corners of his mind. It was how she had begun the healing process, helping him to understand that he was safe with her.

It seemed to be working. He appeared more confident this time around, and he barely flinched when the tip of her finger brushed against one of the slightly-bulging whip scars on his back. Perhaps it was the lust talking; or maybe she really was getting under his skin- in a positive way, of course.

His lips returned to hers as his hand reached a place that only his ever had. She moaned into his mouth, careful to make sure he knew that what he was doing was right. He was always so nervous about doing something wrong, whether it be about holding hands or intercourse. She knew that it wasn't his fault, and so she always tried her hardest to make sure that he knew he didn't have to be afraid.

She hoped that, one day, he would reach a point where he no longer hesitated at every move. She wanted him to get to where he was completely comfortable with her, no longer afraid of doing something wrong or not doing enough. She wanted him to see that the lingering threat he had known for so long was no longer.

But as she grazed his scars again, inquisitive as to whether or not he really was changing, she felt him tense above her. His movements got slightly more erratic, and she knew that she had stumbled. The success from before was indeed a lust-induced fluke.

Not wanting him to dwell on it and retreat back into his usual corner of solitude, she jerked her hips and moved her hands as far away from his back as she could, hoping to turn his mind back toward the moment they were in. It worked, as his movements returned to normal and his kissing regained its prior strength. However, the tension did not leave his body. It was as if he expected Misty to try and touch him in the forbidden zone again, and was poised to flee as soon as it happened.

It was then that she knew that he still had a long way to go before he was truly at peace with her- and himself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again!**

 **Response to review:**

 **Sapphiria - Thank you very much! I'm happy to know that you enjoyed AotP and are now enjoying this little midquel. The second snippet was my first attempt at writing any kind of intimate interaction between Ash and Misty, so I'm glad to know that I did well! I hope you stick around :)**

* * *

"Ash, I really wish you'd uncover my eyes already."

"Not yet, not yet."

Ash was carefully guiding Misty through the kitchen. Misty, being a dominant type, hated to be restrained in any kind of way. As a result, she was struggling with tenacity against her husband, despite knowing that to break free from his grasp would mean ruining the surprise.

Ash grinned as they finally reached the kitchen table. Misty had insisted on moving as slowly as possible from the moment she took her first step with eyes covered, and because of that had tripled the time it normally took to walk from the living room to the kitchen.

"Alright," he began, "now I'm going to uncover your eyes, but keep them closed. I don't want you to see it just yet."

"And why not?"

He took his hands away from her face, trusting her to do as he asked despite her protest. "Because."

She huffed.

Ash stepped around his wife and adjusted everything slightly so that she would be able to see it immediately upon opening her eyes.

"Open them."

She opened her eyes to an open box of chicken wings. At first, she felt confusion spark within her. Then she saw the message.

In smeared black ink and her husband's handwriting, a note was written:

 _I'm not too good at planning out surprises, as you know. So I'm just going to wing it. Will you go with me?_

Right below the note, Ash had taped a pair of plane tickets. Misty tore them off with such ferocity that she almost tore the lid right off the box.

"Careful there," Ash warned, an amused glint in his eyes.

Upon examining them, she realized that they were for a flight to Hawaii. She looked up at Ash incredulously. "How did you afford this?"

He shrugged. "I saved. You told me once that it was your dream to go to Hawaii. I couldn't afford it for our honeymoon, so I'm making it up to you now. A second honeymoon... even though we've only been married for two months."

She gave him the sweetest of smiles, tears pricking her eyes. "What ever did I do to get a man like you?"

He leaned forward and kissed her, wondering if she'd still think of him in such high regard once she found out about the place he'd booked them: a ranch in the middle of the jungle- with _lots_ of bugs.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi! Even though there are no reviews to respond to this time, I still want to give a shoutout to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed this story so far. I really appreciate it. More of these snippets are coming in the future. If you have a scene you'd like to see, let me know!**

* * *

" _That's_ the one."

Brock blinked uncertainly. "Ash, are you sure? It's awfully expensive."

The young man nodded so fast Brock was sure his head would pop off. "I'm completely sure, Brock. She'll love it."

Brock glanced at a sign that hung in the store window. In bright, bold letters, it read:

 **NO REFUNDS. STORE CREDIT ONLY.**

"They don't even do refunds," Brock informed his friend. "What if she doesn't like it?"

Ash didn't even reply; he just charged into the store. Shaking his head, Brock followed.

There was a single man behind the counter, studying a diamond ring that he held in one hand. Ash and Brock approached him; he glanced up as they did so.

"Yes?"

Ash's eyes darted down for a second before meeting the man's own. "Um, yes, can I please see the necklace in the window? On the mannequin."

The man nodded. He whisked over to the window, retrieved the little box, and brought it back.

The silver necklace sparkled even brighter in real life. It bore a ruby, Misty's favorite gemstone.

All of a sudden, his head snapped back up. "I'll take it. It's perfect."

Smiling, the man took it behind the counter. "This for a special lady, I'm guessing."

Beaming, Ash nodded as he fished his credit card out of his wallet. "The best."


End file.
